Why: This is the largest gathering of LGBTI activists and allies from across Europe and Central Asia. If you or someone in your team is writing about human rights, the future of Europe or the experiences of LGBTI people, then you need to be in this room!

The ILGA-Europe Annual Conference is the place to go if you want to build contacts, hear more about unreported topics, discover LGBTI activism success stories, and learn about what major news stories will be breaking in 2019.

Brussels has been in the headlines a lot lately. Conversations about the state of democracy inside the EU’s borders, the potential human rights impact of Brexit and the very future of Europe are all on the agenda.

And in the coming months, the heart of the EU certainly won’t be vanishing from view with the European Parliament elections coming up in spring 2019.

The LGBTI community are not only affected personally by every single one of these issues, but the movement’s undaunted activism and desire for change can also provide the answers to many of the questions policymakers are currently struggling with.

And that’s why it makes perfect sense for these conversations to happen in Brussels. Our 2018 theme[6] – Politics for Change: from words to action – is designed to connect LGBTI activists with enablers of change in the city – and beyond.

Highlights:

The 2018 QUEER-ED speaker is Ailbhe Smyth[7], the legendary feminist, socialist and LGBTI activist from Ireland.

Representatives from the main European Parliament groupings will talk about their record (and future intentions) on LGBTI equality at a ‘town hall’-style political debate, moderated by Politico Europe.

Confirmed conference speakers also include:

Frans Timmermans, First Vice-President of the European Commission

Victor Madrigal-Borloz, UN Independent Expert on Protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity

(A press conference is also planned at the conference hotel during the event – date/time: TBC.)